The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced that he has severed political ties with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike said he would personally support a candidate he trusts to succeed Governor Fubara, insisting that he would not repeat what he described as the political mistakes of the 2023 elections.
The former Rivers State governor made the remarks while addressing his supporters over the weekend in Ahoada Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, earlier political agreements reached with the governor were allegedly breached, making any form of continued cooperation untenable.
โWe will not make the mistake we made in 2023,โ Wike declared, stressing that no individual would dictate political decisions to him in Rivers State.
He also dismissed the notion that political slogans, street chants, or rallies could automatically guarantee any aspirant an electoral ticket, insisting that such displays do not determine political outcomes.
IdanNews recalls that Governor Fubara recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, Wike clarified that his open support for President Bola Tinubu does not amount to automatic endorsement of Fubaraโs re-election bid.
Reaffirming his backing for President Tinubu, Wike said the president deserves a second term, citing what he described as Tinubuโs goodwill toward Rivers State, including his appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Despite this, Wike maintained that political decisions in Rivers State would be based strictly on trust and strategic interests.
โSo, if you like, shout โon your mandateโ 50 times a day, it will not give you an automatic ticket. If you like, bring everybody and shout โon your mandate,โ that is not an automatic ticket,โ he said.
โPolitics is about interest,โ Wike added, noting that he would only support a candidate he can rely on completely and โsleep with his eyes closed.โ
